Transformable vehicle



R. SC'HERL, DEC-D.

A. M- SCHi-IRL NE E SENDLER, WIDOW. HEIRESSOF ONE-FOURTH AND VJSCHERL, SON. HEIR OF THREEJOURTHS.

TRANSFORMABLE VEHICLE.

- APPLICATION FILED AUG.301 192l- Patented June 13, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1- R. SCHERL, PECD.

A- M- SCHERL NE E SENDLER, WIDOW- HEIRESS 0F ONE-FOURTH AND V. SCHERL, SON. HEIR OF THREEJOURT HS- TRANSFORMABLE VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 30, um.

Patented June 13, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.zarfllillll4 I!!! v R. SCHERL, DECD.

A. M. SCHERL NE E SENDLER WID OW HEIRESSDF ONE-FOURTH AND V. SCHERL, SON. HEIR 0F THREE-FOURTHS.

TRANSFORMABLE VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.30 I921.

Patented June 13, 1922.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3- R SCHERL, DECD A. M. scum. NE: SENDLER, WIDOW, amass or ONE-FOURTH AND v. scum, sou, HEIR or THREE-FOURTHS.

TRANSFORMABLE VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.30. 192r.

Patented June 13, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

RICHARD SCI-IERL, DECEASED, BY'ANNA IIEARIE SOHERL, NEE

mesaerries.

snnntna, winow, or

ro'rsnaiir, GERMANY, HEIRESS or onE-nonnrrr, AND voannann SCHERL, son, or POTSDAM, GERMANY, 1131113. or 'rrnann-nocnrns.

TRANSFORMABLE VEHICLE.

ran-wee.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 13,1922.

Application filed. August 30, 1921. Serial No. 497,038.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that RICHARD SGHERL, deceased, did invent certain new-and useful Improvements in Transformable Vehicles, and that I, ANNA MARIE SoHERL, nee SEND- LER, of Potsdam, Germany, his widow and heiress to one-fourth and guardian and legal representative of his non-aged son Volkhard, heir to three-fourths, do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, and forwhich applications have been filed in Germany, June 14th, 1920; Belgium, June 13th, 1921; Sweden, June 13th, 1921 ,Switzerland, June 13th, 1921; Italy, June 13th, 1921'; Rumania, June 6th, 1921; England, June 13th,

1921; France, June 13th, 1921; CZecho-' Slovakia, June 13th, 1921; Austria, June 13th, 1921; Hungary, June 13th, 1921; Netherlands, June 13th, 1921, and Poland, June 9th, 1921.

The invention relates to self-discharging wagons or cars of the hopper-bottom type that are converted to such type from fiat bottomed wagons or cars.

The invention comprises a sub-divided flat bottom that can be converted into a hopper bottom, for example, a three part bot tom whose lateral portions can be moved over a stationary middle portionto form the hopper bottom, or a two-part bottom whose abutting edges can be raised from such bottom. r

The invention comprises a structure where the straight sides of a Hat bottomed wagon body or car may be m'ovedinward to the apex of the triangle formed by the'bottom so that they are supported at such apex to form' a hopper bottom or. self-discharging vehicle.

In the drawings, in which like similarly designated V Figure I is a cross section of a car embodying the invention, with the bottom flat.

- Fig. 2 is a like view of the car converted into a hopper-bottomed car.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the discharge door at one side open.

Fig. l is a cross-section of a modified arrangement for central discharge.

Figs. 5 and 6-are cross sections of a wagon whose bottom is composed of two parts.

parts are Figs. 7 to 9 are cross sections showing the conversion of the fiat-bottomed car into a side-dumping car;

Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate a wagon, showing a modification.

F igs; 12 and 13 illustrate a car in which the edges of the folding bottom are formed to be self-sustaining under load, and

Figs. 141 and 15 illustrate the invention in connection with a closed top car.

Referring to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the bottom of the car consists of three parts, a middle, stationary part a and two lateral parts (Z and (Z, pivoted at D and D and arranged to fold over the top of the middle section,'in order to form inclined discharging sections, or a self-supporting prism. The portions 0 c of the sides are hinged or pivotally connected to the edges of the bottom portions (Z cl at C C. respectively. p

The opposite outer edges of the portions 0 c are pivoted or hinged to the lower edges of side panels?) and Z2 which side panels are hinged at their upper edges A and A to the stationary side-wall portions (6 and a.

The hinged portions Z2 0 d and b 0 cl may be moved inward to any desired point and form a co-operating unit. In order to move them to the position shown in Fig. 2 there is provided a strutin the form of a toggle, comprising lever arms 7L and hpivoted near the hinge points B and B. These arms are pivoted to arms 8 and s pivoted at fixed points E and E on the car frame.

[N ow, if the panels Z) and 2') be moved inward, then the points C and 0 move upward and toward the center till they abut, and the bottom portions d and cl are swung over the stationary'part a so as to assume an inclined position, Fig. 2. The parts Z) and 0 and Z) and 0 then lie in a plane and the arms 8 7t and s and It of the toggle are in alinement.

In this manner the parts a b c anda Z) 0 form a hopper shape. At the middle point on of the hopper the parts may be bolted together. I

Various means may be provided for discharging the car. I

111 the form shown in Fig. 3, the bottom sections 010 are so connected to the side panels 6, Z) that they may be swung outward, or they may be arranged to p1vot about the point m. After opening these sections the contents of the car slide over the inclines (Z (Z, and if desired also over stationary extension aprons e e.

If the car is to be centrally discharged the portions aZ eZ of the central triangular portion may be provided with drop doors 6Z as shownin Fig. 4:, andthe contentsbe discharged between the tracks.

In Figs. 5 and 6 is shown a similar convertible truck or wagon. The triangular bottom portion is composed-of but two parts 03 and cZ swung about longitudinal axes D, D, the axes lying nearer the inner edges of said parts 0Z and (Z thanthe outer edges, so that when these sections are swung over into the position shown in Fig. 6 they will be inclined.

If the hinge points B and B are moved inward, thebottom portions 0 c and (Z eZ move upward and inward turning about their longitudinal axes until the outer edges of the portions d d abut. The previously abutting edges of the parts d d then lie toward the outside and abut against the aprons e e, which in this instance may be shorter than those in Figures -1 to 4. The support of the side walls 6 Z) and the outer bottom panels 0 c is accomplished by pivoted struts or arms 8 that are held in their supporting positions by springs f Fig. 6.

In order to increase the capacity of the wagon there are provided drop-side panels, y y hinged to the upper edges of the stationary body panels a a, that may be raised to form upward continuations of the side panels a, a.

WVhile in the forms heretofore described the hopper is formed from a side portion .and a bottom portion, in the following forms the hopper is formed from the sides of the body alone.

In Figs. 7 to 9 a car is shown for a narrow gauge railway,in which the entire width of the bottom is divided into three parts, the two lateral portions (Z and d being hinged to the middle portion a and capable of being folded over to form the triangular bottom. The upper corners of the sides Z), Z) of the body are movable, so that during the initial part of their inward movement they may yield upwardly and thereafter move down wardly until the lower edges rest on the apex of the triangular central portion Z-ucZ to which they are bolted. The'upper portion of the body. may then be extended by the drop sides y, y.

In order to permit this car to discharge at the side by tipping it, the front and rear ends are detachably secured to the transverse sills of the frame at L and L. When these fastenings, which may be bolts or pins, are removed, the body may tip, as shown in Fig.

c and 0 are connected to the outer edges of the lateral bottom portions d d.

When the fiat-bottomed wagon Fig. 10 is to be convertedinto a hopper bottom Fig.

11, the parts Z) 6 are first turned upward,-

as shown in dotted lines, until the triangular bottom is formed. Fig. 11 and panels Z; 0 and b 0 lie in a plane, and are supports in such position by suitable struts.

For discharging, the parts 0 0 are C011? structed as hinged doors that swing outward.

In Figs. 12 and 13 the side panels a and a are not hinged to the bottom sections 6 b, so that the side'panels a a need not be lifted (raised bodily).

The two lateral bottom portions are provided with enlargementsthat act as abutments for the loweredges of the hinged side panels a, a. When the two lateral bottom portions 6, Z) are swung over to form the triangular bottom, the sides a, a are swung inward against the apex of the triangular bottom and at the contacting abutments strutst I? support the side panels a a that transmit the load to the under frame. The side panels can be additionally supported by adjustable cross ties 0 39 such as tension rods 0 and turnbuckles 10 or equivalent devices.

The body may be extended by the drop sides g 3 For discharging, the side panels a a may be provided with'outwardly swinging discharge doors.

In Fig. 14 is shown a covered body whose cover'or top is composed of two panels or sections Z Z and the hopper bottom is formed by opening these sections Z and Z tovertical position. The two adjoining edges of the bottom are moved upward to join at the apex and form the discharge aprons also, and the special aprons e e in the previously referred to forms, are omitted. '1 V The lower edges of the side wallsare provided with rollers 1 that are guided on in-' clined ways, so that by loosening the'bolts at nthe weight of the side walls tends to move the side walls toward the apex of the triangular bottom. The center. of gravity S of, the side walls drops during this movement from the position Fig. let to the posi- Z" Z" in position,

hat is claimed is.

1. A transformable flat bottom and hopper bottom vehicle body having a subdivided fiat bottom capable of being swung to form a bottom having sloping sides, in combination with hinged sides capable of swinging inward and whose lower edges rest on the apeX of said sloping sides.

2. A transformable vehicle body having a laterally subdivided fiat bottom, bottom divisions of which are capable of being inclined to form a triangular structure, in combination with side panels whose lower edges are hinged to bottom divisions.

3. A transformable vehicle body having a laterally sub-divided fiat bottom, bottom divisions of which are capable of being swung to form a triangular structure, in combination with lateral bottom divisions hanged to the aforesaid divisions, and side panels hinged to the bottom divisions to form a hinged, foldable hopper bottom.

4:. A transformable vehicle body having a laterally subdivided flat bottom, the bottom divisions of which are capable of being inclined to form a triangular structure, side panels hinged to the bottom divisions to form a hinged foldable hopper bottom, and struts for supporting the inclined bottom of the hopper. g

5. A transformable vehicle body having a laterally subdivided flat bottom capable of being inclined to form a triangular structure, side panels hinged to the bottom divisions to form a hinged foldable hopper bottom, and means for connecting the triangular structure and side panels together.

6. A transformable vehicle body having a laterally subdivided flat bottom capable of being inclined to form a triangular structure, and side panels pivoted to swing at the apex of the inclined bottom divisions.

ANNA MARIE SCHERL, min SENDLER, wmow. 

